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Monday, February 11, 2013

On to Boston

The Rangers held a quick, 35-minute-ish practice (some guys like Ryan McDonagh, Derek Stepan and Brian Boyle stayed on the ice longer to shoot and skate unsupervised) before heading to digging-out-from-the-snow Boston this afternoon for tomorrow night’s game against the red-hot Bruins.

The Rangers are just 1-3-0 on the road but coach John Tortorella said today he’s not concerned with home or away records, it’s a matter of consistent play, as the team has gotten through this, their second two-game winning streak of the season and if they can continue to play that way, it should translate to games either at Madison Square Garden or away from their home ice.

Tomorrow night’s game is also the Rangers’ 12th of the season, meaning they’ll have played one-quarter of this lockout-shortened 48-game season.

“I don’t like to use the word measuring stick but it is a top opponent in this conference and somebody that we’re going to have to beat if we want to get to where we want to go,” captain Ryan Callahan said of the Bruins, who have won three straight and are 8-1-1 (the overtime loss coming to the Rangers, 4-3, at the Garden in the Rangers’ third game of the season, following their 3-1 loss at Boston in the season opener. “We have to make sure we’re ready and prepared to go in there, which is a tough building to play in.”

Same lines today for the Rangers, with Brian Boyle skating as an extra on the fourth line with center Jeff Halpern, Arron Asham and Darroll Powe.

Meanwhile, Marian Gaborik spoke of his level of comfort on his current line with center Brad Richards and Taylor Pyatt, who’s on the left wing with Gaborik resuming play on the right.

“The lines change here all the time, it might change again in a heartbeat,” Gaborik said. ” I’m back on the right wing. I’m more comfortable on the right side.”

Not sure what the defensive pairs might be tomorrow night against the Bruins but I wouldn’t be shocked to see Tortorella keep Marc Staal with Dan Girardi, after he reunited the longtime partners (prior to Ryan McDonagh’s recall from Connecticut (AHL) in December, 2011 and, of course, Staal’s lengthy recovery from a concussion) in the second period of Sunday’s 5-1 win over the Lightning.

“Yeah he’s getting there,” Tortorella said of Staal when I asked whether he had returned to his pre-concussion, No. 1 defenseman performances. “He can be better. I think he’s added a little offense to us. He’s taking up a lot of ice. That’s when you know Marc is playing well, is that he’s in the way. He’s added a little bit of physical presence to his game. He’s played pretty steady for us.

“They played together for so long prior to Mac coming on to the scene,” Tortorella added. “Last night I just felt we were struggling a little bit with our pairs so I switched it up. They just went to work. I think they read off one another well. It was cohesive when we made the change in the middle of game.”
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Posted by Andrew Gross on 02/11 at 08:25 PM

Rangers will be tough to beat if they play like they did the last 2 periods.

I’m curious if Gaborik will better on the right side? And how will the rookies play against Boston. Will Kreider, Miller, & Hagelin get on the score board against a top tier team?

3 in a Row! LGR!!!

Posted by Sioux-per-man on 02/11 at 08:48 PM

Does this mean Boyle won’t be in the line up for Boston, do ye think? I am sure he would step up in his home land.

Posted by Rebel Son Rise on 02/11 at 09:13 PM

Don’t fix something that ain’t broke. If the team is rolling and playing well, the lineup will not change. When they play like garbage, expect Boyle to be reinserted into the lineup.

For the time being, there is no need to mess with the lineup at all. This is the first time we’ve seem some sense of cohesion between all the lines.

Does it suck for Boyle? Sure does. But he’s a pro. He knows how it is.

Posted by Adam on 02/11 at 10:00 PM

The Boston area is also where Kreider is from, Boxford I believe. Hope he can continue to step it up.

Posted by Rich on 02/11 at 10:56 PM

I agree that the lineup is right where it needs to be but I bet you 5 bucks Boyle is in. Torts is from MA too and he is not stupid enough to not let a Boston boy play in Boston. Boyle will step up if he gets back in the lineup. Maybe I am wrong, but being from New England, I know I am 99% right. All of his friends and family will be in the crowd and he will kick ass. Bad move not to let him play.

Yeah, I know…. They all played too good against TB to sit any of em….. aww hell, screw Boyle! He earned his spot in the booth!

Posted by Rebel Son Rise on 02/11 at 11:24 PM

Boyle should sit. It’s not a coincidence that the team got quicker (by subtraction) and won the last two games without him.

Posted by PG67 on 02/11 at 11:34 PM

I will take your five bucks. This line-up will not change after that Sunday performance.

Of course I will let you keep the five if we win tomorrow. I would much rather have that.

Posted by tomb on 02/12 at 01:05 AM

Yeah .. this is kind of a tough call for the Coach re/ Boyler’s return to the line-up. Atta quick glance you’d figure that Asham might sit this one out on the humanitarian grounds espoused here.. You know, Boyle being from the area, family & friends in attendance etc .. the “Don’t fix what ain’t broke” thing works against him here… If he removes him and they lose, it may be perceived that he cost them the game !?!? Hard to say with Torts which way this one will go. But knowing this Coach, unless somebody is questionable with an injury, I think he sticks with the line-up from the past two games/wins; Usually Andrew is able to tip the public by who skates with who during practice unless that’s on game day.

Posted by Ranger Rick on 02/12 at 01:14 AM

He probably won’t change the lineup and Boyle who is already miserable will be doubly so after tomorrow night. Sure sounds like motivation to play better when he does get his chance.

Posted by CJ on 02/12 at 01:18 AM

Just play him on defense and problem solved at least for 1 game.

Posted by Tortaturd on 02/12 at 02:37 AM

Do we owe it to every Quebecois player in our system to play them when we’re in Montreal? Every Ontario native to play when we’re in Toronto?

If Boyle wanted to play in front of his hometown friends and family, he picked a bad time to lose his game.

I know it’s the nice story, the good thing to do. But we started slow, finally seem to have a rhythm, and unfortunately the mix that’s working for us does not include Brian Boyle.

They’ll work him in when it’s right. No time for sentiment in a short season. And he’s not a defenseman.

Posted by DaveB on 02/12 at 02:57 AM

From Hockeysfuture:

“2007-08: Boyle began the season on the blueline for Manchester but struggled greatly to pick up the nuances of defensive positioning and skating. While he had no troubles finding the back of the net, especially on the power play where he resumed his traditional center position, Boyle was a liability defensively as quicker and more skilled forwards routinely had the extra gear to get past him for break-away scoring opportunities.”

Posted by DaveB on 02/12 at 02:58 AM

I think 1 game is worth a try, especially with this coach at most that he plays 6th defenseman is 8 minutes.

Posted by Tortaturd on 02/12 at 03:52 AM

Don’t worry about it Dave, it just won’t sink in ... now Torts is a sheety coach because he won’t try Boyle on d’ for a game. lol

We could try this argument, we have 8 d’men and they are all healthy ... maybe now isn’t the time to play defenseman #9.

Posted by CJ on 02/12 at 04:27 AM

Nice fund Dave

Exactly what we were thinking

I actually think gilly ain’t half bad lately. No worse than MDz and faster with less egregious errors

Posted by Craig on 02/12 at 04:58 AM

Find not fund. Now the iPad mini acting up!

Posted by Craig on 02/12 at 04:59 AM

Ha cj. 9 th defenseman. Lol

Posted by Craig on 02/12 at 05:01 AM

It’s not about what is “right” it is about Boyle (who played 82 games last year) who has sat out 2 games and the extra charge he would bring if he got back on the ice in Boston. It is an emotional boost to a player who might possibly use it to his advantage, from the coaches perspective. But what do I know, I am not the coach of the team like some of the experts on this forum. You are probably right: Asham is a goal scoring machine and a defensive expert with tons of speed that is now a perennial all star because he scored the only goal he probably will score this year. Hahahaha! I am not saying O’Boyle rules, people, but if you think Asham contributes more to our team with his 5 minutes per game then you are not seeing the same player that is about as beneficial to the NYR than Rupp. Asham is Rupp Jr.

Posted by Rebel Son Rise on 02/12 at 05:06 AM

if boyle got in i think it would be for halpern

Posted by JJ on 02/12 at 05:18 AM

Rebel - I like Boyle, I really do. When he’s on, he brings a lot to the table. The fact of the matter is that we’ve played two good games in a row, we’re coming off a really good 60 minute effort, and I don’t believe in messing with a winning lineup.

Asham’s no prize, but he’s an honest, tough player who’s strung together a few nice games. I don’t think anybody is specifically advocating for Asham over Boyle. There’s just something to be said against getting a guy back into a lineup that’s done very well without him, at the expense of lunchpail guys who’ve played very well.

I do agree that Boyle, when he finally comes back, will come back with a vengeance. It would been nice to get him out in front of his hometown crowd, but I just don’t see Torts tinkering with the lineup right now.

Posted by DaveB on 02/12 at 05:20 AM

Brian Boyle is a mediocre hockey player, at best. He doesn’t play a physical game (despite his size); he rarely fights (and looks pathetic when he does); and, with the exception of a couple of “hot” scoring streaks (early 2010-2011 and very briefly in last year’s playoffs), he’s had cement hands most of his career. Look at his numbers: 280 NHL games played, 44 goals, 34 assists (!), and a whopping total of 78 points—that’s 0.27 points per game. He has 4 career power play goals. And he’s -10 for his career—the majority of which was spent playing on defensively sound NYR teams. (He also has only 6 points in 22 career playoff games.) So, he doesn’t hit, can’t fight, can’t score with any regularity, and is mediocre defensively. Why is he on this team again? I’d rather have a fourth-liner who plays 5 minutes, throws a big hit and/or fights (though, admittedly, Asham looks like another typical over-the-hill fighter for the NYR enforcers’ graveyard) than a guy like Boyle who doesn’t do anything well consistently. I still think someone like Mashinter is worth a look on the 4th line, at least to see what he can offer. Boyle and Asham aren’t the answer.

Posted by Shane on 02/12 at 05:31 AM

CJ, so you think Stefan can be a 60-70 points guy. I’m afraid not. Love for you to prove me wrong. I don’t know whose koolaid you’ve been drinking, but get real. Cally isn’t even a 60 to 70 pt guy. Stefan does get from point A to B. It just takes him longer than most to get there. Yes, he has improved his faceoffs and has improved defensively.
If he gets anywhere near 50 points then all would be good, but 60 to 70?

Posted by NYRfan16 on 02/12 at 05:54 AM

shane re boyle and pp goals = he is also rarely on the pp i think. on the pk a lot more

About

ANDREW GROSS covers the New York Rangers for The Record and Herald News, having joined the North Jersey Media Group in November 2007. Gross also covered the Rangers and New York Jets, as well as St. John’s basketball and Army football, for Gannett Newspapers and The Journal News (N.Y.). He graduated from Syracuse University in 1989 with a degree in newspaper journalism.